This week I spent some time reviewing a project's ANT build scripts. I can reliably inform my readers that the most complicated part of the entire system were the ANT build scripts. They were complexity redefined…. I discussed my frustrations with a few colleagues and they told me of similar stories. They described to me Java projects where the ANT scripts had more lines than the actual system and numerous ANT extensions which involved thousands lines of Java code. I like Ant. It's a great build tool. But many Java people seem to have a love for complexity which I find frustrating. I have always felt that system designers and builders have a responsibility to their immediate customer and to the support personnel who will one day inherit their software. So think of the future when building a system and of the people who may one day ask - "what in blazes is this script doing..?"